5 ms·

As much as I love his comic strip, I'd be wary of his political analyses. He thinks he's a trained hypnotist(hypnosis is total baloney) and he thinks he has aw

As much as I love his comic strip, I'd be wary of his political analyses. He thinks he's a trained hypnotist(hypnosis is total baloney) and he thinks he has awesome persuasion skills. Oh by the way he thinks that Trump has awesome persuasion skills as well. I don't think there's much analysis that needs to be done for the Trump phenomenon. He is a narcissistic douche, exuding "success" according to the contemporary American standards. The mass has been completely brainwashed for the past decades, with regards to what happiness and success looks like. Case closed. There are no magical persuasion skills at play here.

forgetsusername 10y ago
>Oh by the way he thinks that Trump has awesome persuasion skills as well. That "narcissistic douche" just overran the Republican Party, and you doubt that he's persuasive? That's an interesting view.
- mahranch 10y ago
  Appealing and persuasive aren't the same things; Trump is "appealing" to a certain demographic and mindset of the U.S population and that's how he bulldozed the GOP - he was charismatic to the right group of people at the right time. The GOP really did it to themselves... they moved so far right over the last 30 years that this happening was inevitable. I remember saying back in 2008 that if the GOP keeps this up (anyone remember Palin or Huckabee?), they're going to have have some batshit crazy candidate running for president. And here we are. He's not convincing anyone who believed something different; he's just pandering to an already primed base (a base which has been moving further right ever since Reagan beat Carter). I think opportunist would be a better word here.
herval 10y ago
Can you ellaborate on hypnosis being "total baloney"? I know trained hypnotists and seen it work first-hand, curious to see your evidence...
- rantanplan 10y ago
  Um... curious to see your evidence. I've "hypnotized" people too. Everyone can "hypnotize" some people. All evidence goes against any kind of altered state of mind though. More like submissive role-playing. Also, for future reference, things that should make your alarm bells go off: a) something works on someone only when you describe it to that someone b) something works only on some people, not all of them and you don't know why. EDIT: some people didn't understand that what I'm implying with the above points is that hypnosis is more akin to the placebo effect than anything else(altered state of mind etc).
  - herval 10y ago
    So basically most medicine is "baloney" for you too? (see: placebo effect and many different drugs that won't work on everyone)
    - rantanplan 10y ago
      Of course not! But no hypnotist says that hypnosis is placebo!!! I totally agree that it is.
- bad_user 10y ago
  The kind of hypnosis you see in movies is "baloney", people know what hypnosis is from movies, hence this impression.
  - rantanplan 10y ago
    I don't know what people know from movies, but personally I've researched hypnosis. And as with all other evidence around it, I agree that the "altered state of mind" part is total baloney. If you have evidence to the contrary please share, thanks.
bad_user 10y ago
So what you're saying is that any successful "narcissistic douche", by today's standards, would have won the GOP nominations. Is that right? What about the democratic nominations? If a democratic candidate, are you saying that Trump would have won those as well? IMHO, there are some flaws in your analysis.
- rantanplan 10y ago
  No I didn't say that, sorry.
  - bad_user 10y ago
    Well, you haven't made any assertions (e.g. something whose truthiness can be evaluated, like A => B). Your only claim is that Trump is successful by today's standard. You're implying that's the reason for his success and not his "persuasive skills" and you don't mention anything else, but you are saying "case closed" as if these words are enough. So what are you saying?
    - rantanplan 10y ago
      I'm saying he was the epitome of a successful and happy person by today's American standards.
      - bad_user 10y ago
        But how does that contradict that he has persuasion skills? In fact, by today's standards, to have success one very important ingredient is to have persuasion skills, also known as salesmanship. Many of us, software developers are sadly not good at salesmanship, but at least we can recognize it when we see it. And personally I think Trump has it, even if his style is obnoxious. That he has skills only because of today's standards, that may be true, but I wouldn't be so sure of causality: are today's standards responsible for Trump's success, or has Trump adapted to today's standards? I guess we'll never know. My problem with your argument is that it seems you're considering Trump to be unskilled. I think that's a mistake and if I were in Trump's shoes, that's exactly how I'd like for people like us to think, because he's not the kind of man leaning towards dialog, strategies or cooperation, but rather the kind that does battles and in battles you want to be an asshole (people love assholes in battles, because they make a good show and supposedly show "strength"). And also you want to be underestimated.
JanezStupar 10y ago
Thank you for your incredibly insightful analysis. There is a lot more to the man. He seems a simpleton on the face of it. He thrives on people underestimating him. Yet everything points towards him being an excellent player of the "Game of Thrones". Whether you think him an idiot or not - he is one of the best strategists I have ever seen.
- sandworm101 10y ago
  Lol, trump wouldn't survive ten minutes in any properly cut-throat competition. The way he makes enemies of everyone in power would see him offed in the first act.
bmh_ca 10y ago
The MKULTRA experiments inidcate that hypnosis is not baloney. That said, the CIA is no ordinary hypnotist.
- rantanplan 10y ago
  OK, to wrap it up: I'm positing that hypnosis CANNOT force a person to do something that goes against their will. If you have evidence that suggests, or better yet proves, otherwise please paste a link. EDIT: lately it's become apparent to me that whenever you ask for citation, people downvote you. People, just because you disagree you don't have to downvote. Just offer some evidence to what you're supporting.
  - bmh_ca 10y ago
    Sorry, I should have posted a link. You are quite right in asking for proof. Here's an excerpt of the declassified MK ULTRA reports released by Freedom of Information Act in 2001 (as well as parts released previously), and printed in Lapham's Quarterly <http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/spies/new-york-state-mind> http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/spies/new-york-state-mind>: > H experimentation, February 10, 1954 > The group of five subjects appeared on schedule. A posthypnotic of the night before (pointed finger, you will sleep) was enacted. Mses. [redacted] and [redacted] immediately progressed to a deep hypnotic state. [Redacted] was then instructed (having previously expressed a fear of firearms in any fashion) that she would use every method at her disposal to awaken [redacted] (now in a deep hypnotic sleep), and failing this, she would pick up a pistol nearby and fire it at [redacted]. She was instructed that her rage would be so great that she would not hesitate to “kill” [redacted] for failing to awaken. > [Redacted] carried out these suggestions to the letter, including firing the (unloaded pneumatic) gun at [redacted] and then proceeding to fall into a deep sleep. After proper suggestions were made, both were awakened and expressed complete amnesia for the entire sequence. [Re- dacted] was again handed the gun, which she refused (in an awakened state) to pick up or accept from the operator. She expressed absolute denial that the foregoing sequence had happened. I believe that counts as doing something against ones will. Lapham had a widely distributed issue titled "Spies", I recall, in which the linked article (or a variant of it) appeared. Here is a Gizmodo article: http://gizmodo.com/project-mkultra-one-of-the-most-shocking-cia-programs-1370236359 http://gizmodo.com/project-mkultra-one-of-the-most-shocking-... and wired: http://www.wired.com/2010/04/0413mk-ultra-authorized/ http://www.wired.com/2010/04/0413mk-ultra-authorized/ There are a lot of other reputable news agencies confirming the same. The NY Times even hosts the exceptionally well written report of the government here: https://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/13inmate_ProjectMKULTRA.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/13inmate_Proje... There is also the 1999 "based on a true story" called the Sleep Room, which I gather is quite accurate (but obviously not proof in itself). I hope you find the above interesting, if not persuasive, evidence of hypnosis.

forgetsusername 10y ago

>Oh by the way he thinks that Trump has awesome persuasion skills as well. That "narcissistic douche" just overran the Republican Party, and you doubt that he's persuasive? That's an interesting view.

mahranch 10y ago
Appealing and persuasive aren't the same things; Trump is "appealing" to a certain demographic and mindset of the U.S population and that's how he bulldozed the GOP - he was charismatic to the right group of people at the right time. The GOP really did it to themselves... they moved so far right over the last 30 years that this happening was inevitable. I remember saying back in 2008 that if the GOP keeps this up (anyone remember Palin or Huckabee?), they're going to have have some batshit crazy candidate running for president. And here we are. He's not convincing anyone who believed something different; he's just pandering to an already primed base (a base which has been moving further right ever since Reagan beat Carter). I think opportunist would be a better word here.

herval 10y ago

Can you ellaborate on hypnosis being "total baloney"? I know trained hypnotists and seen it work first-hand, curious to see your evidence...

rantanplan 10y ago
Um... curious to see your evidence. I've "hypnotized" people too. Everyone can "hypnotize" some people. All evidence goes against any kind of altered state of mind though. More like submissive role-playing. Also, for future reference, things that should make your alarm bells go off: a) something works on someone only when you describe it to that someone b) something works only on some people, not all of them and you don't know why. EDIT: some people didn't understand that what I'm implying with the above points is that hypnosis is more akin to the placebo effect than anything else(altered state of mind etc).
- herval 10y ago
  So basically most medicine is "baloney" for you too? (see: placebo effect and many different drugs that won't work on everyone)
  - rantanplan 10y ago
    Of course not! But no hypnotist says that hypnosis is placebo!!! I totally agree that it is.
bad_user 10y ago
The kind of hypnosis you see in movies is "baloney", people know what hypnosis is from movies, hence this impression.
- rantanplan 10y ago
  I don't know what people know from movies, but personally I've researched hypnosis. And as with all other evidence around it, I agree that the "altered state of mind" part is total baloney. If you have evidence to the contrary please share, thanks.

bad_user 10y ago

So what you're saying is that any successful "narcissistic douche", by today's standards, would have won the GOP nominations. Is that right? What about the democratic nominations? If a democratic candidate, are you saying that Trump would have won those as well? IMHO, there are some flaws in your analysis.

rantanplan 10y ago
No I didn't say that, sorry.
- bad_user 10y ago
  Well, you haven't made any assertions (e.g. something whose truthiness can be evaluated, like A => B). Your only claim is that Trump is successful by today's standard. You're implying that's the reason for his success and not his "persuasive skills" and you don't mention anything else, but you are saying "case closed" as if these words are enough. So what are you saying?
  - rantanplan 10y ago
    I'm saying he was the epitome of a successful and happy person by today's American standards.
    - bad_user 10y ago
      But how does that contradict that he has persuasion skills? In fact, by today's standards, to have success one very important ingredient is to have persuasion skills, also known as salesmanship. Many of us, software developers are sadly not good at salesmanship, but at least we can recognize it when we see it. And personally I think Trump has it, even if his style is obnoxious. That he has skills only because of today's standards, that may be true, but I wouldn't be so sure of causality: are today's standards responsible for Trump's success, or has Trump adapted to today's standards? I guess we'll never know. My problem with your argument is that it seems you're considering Trump to be unskilled. I think that's a mistake and if I were in Trump's shoes, that's exactly how I'd like for people like us to think, because he's not the kind of man leaning towards dialog, strategies or cooperation, but rather the kind that does battles and in battles you want to be an asshole (people love assholes in battles, because they make a good show and supposedly show "strength"). And also you want to be underestimated.

JanezStupar 10y ago

Thank you for your incredibly insightful analysis. There is a lot more to the man. He seems a simpleton on the face of it. He thrives on people underestimating him. Yet everything points towards him being an excellent player of the "Game of Thrones". Whether you think him an idiot or not - he is one of the best strategists I have ever seen.

sandworm101 10y ago
Lol, trump wouldn't survive ten minutes in any properly cut-throat competition. The way he makes enemies of everyone in power would see him offed in the first act.

bmh_ca 10y ago

The MKULTRA experiments inidcate that hypnosis is not baloney. That said, the CIA is no ordinary hypnotist.

rantanplan 10y ago
OK, to wrap it up: I'm positing that hypnosis CANNOT force a person to do something that goes against their will. If you have evidence that suggests, or better yet proves, otherwise please paste a link. EDIT: lately it's become apparent to me that whenever you ask for citation, people downvote you. People, just because you disagree you don't have to downvote. Just offer some evidence to what you're supporting.
- bmh_ca 10y ago
  Sorry, I should have posted a link. You are quite right in asking for proof. Here's an excerpt of the declassified MK ULTRA reports released by Freedom of Information Act in 2001 (as well as parts released previously), and printed in Lapham's Quarterly <http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/spies/new-york-state-mind> http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/spies/new-york-state-mind>: > H experimentation, February 10, 1954 > The group of five subjects appeared on schedule. A posthypnotic of the night before (pointed finger, you will sleep) was enacted. Mses. [redacted] and [redacted] immediately progressed to a deep hypnotic state. [Redacted] was then instructed (having previously expressed a fear of firearms in any fashion) that she would use every method at her disposal to awaken [redacted] (now in a deep hypnotic sleep), and failing this, she would pick up a pistol nearby and fire it at [redacted]. She was instructed that her rage would be so great that she would not hesitate to “kill” [redacted] for failing to awaken. > [Redacted] carried out these suggestions to the letter, including firing the (unloaded pneumatic) gun at [redacted] and then proceeding to fall into a deep sleep. After proper suggestions were made, both were awakened and expressed complete amnesia for the entire sequence. [Re- dacted] was again handed the gun, which she refused (in an awakened state) to pick up or accept from the operator. She expressed absolute denial that the foregoing sequence had happened. I believe that counts as doing something against ones will. Lapham had a widely distributed issue titled "Spies", I recall, in which the linked article (or a variant of it) appeared. Here is a Gizmodo article: http://gizmodo.com/project-mkultra-one-of-the-most-shocking-cia-programs-1370236359 http://gizmodo.com/project-mkultra-one-of-the-most-shocking-... and wired: http://www.wired.com/2010/04/0413mk-ultra-authorized/ http://www.wired.com/2010/04/0413mk-ultra-authorized/ There are a lot of other reputable news agencies confirming the same. The NY Times even hosts the exceptionally well written report of the government here: https://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/13inmate_ProjectMKULTRA.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/13inmate_Proje... There is also the 1999 "based on a true story" called the Sleep Room, which I gather is quite accurate (but obviously not proof in itself). I hope you find the above interesting, if not persuasive, evidence of hypnosis.